John Turkington was elected to Horizons Regional Council in October. Photo / Supplied
The charges brought against Marton businessman and Horizons Region councillor John Turkington have been withdrawn.
However similar charges against his land use and forestry company, John Turkington Ltd, are still before Whanganui District Court
For both a jury trial was elected.
The charges relate to breaches of the Resource Management Act in the way forest harvesting was conducted. They allege illegal earthworks and the potential for sediment to get into waterways.
They relate to two forests, one at 1005 Rangitatau East Rd near Kai Iwi and one at Rewa, near Vinegar Hill.
The evidence was gathered in a flyover by Horizons Regional Council, its first aerial check on whether new national standards in forestry are being met.
The charges were laid by Horizons just before Turkington stood for election to that council in October when he was elected to the Rangitikei-Manawatu ward.
He was narrowly the highest polling councillor in that ward, with 5234 votes.
Yesterday Turkington said the charges against himself were withdrawn on May 9, and he expects them to be formally withdrawn in court on June 10.
In September he told the Chronicle that he had made good on the abatement notices Horizons had issued against the earthworks, and he had expected the matter to end there.
In November, after the election, he issued a statement saying he prided himself on the integrity with which he conducted his business, personal and community affairs.
He is not sure when is company is next in court. Due to court delays it may not be until next year, he said.
If he had been found personally guilty of the forest harvest charges he stood to be convicted and would have lost his seat at the council.
"I ran because I wanted to make a positive difference and I believe that I have something to offer. Having to stand down after five minutes in would be very disappointing," he said.
Council chairwoman Rachel Keedwell would make no comment.
She said matters of prosecution were handled by council officers and not by councillors.
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